South Africa to Shut Liquor Stores Over Easter Weekend

President Cyril Ramaphosa has told the nation that rates of transmission of Covid-19 in the country remain stable. He said in a televised address that the government had decided to keep the country on Level 1 restrictions, with a few adjustments. The sale of alcohol at liquor outlets has been banned for the four days of the Easter weekend, but restaurants and other venues will be allowed to continue serving alcohol. The country's curfew remains unchanged. The president announced a loosening of restrictions on numbers of people at religious gatherings, with services restricted to 250 people indoors and 500 outdoors. Previously, the limit on gatherings was capped at 100 indoors and 250 outdoors. The president detailed the progress made in the country's Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, and said a second phase of vaccinations would begin in May 2021. The opposition Democratic Alliance slammed the four-day alcohol sales ban, saying it was "entirely unscientific".